


Hero

by moricat



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Baby Eremins Rescuing a Kitten, Cats, Childhood Sweethearts, M/M, Rescue, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-29 19:32:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,132
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10860597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moricat/pseuds/moricat
Summary: A short childhood eremin adventure in which little Eren helps out Armin’s littler friend...A fun fluffy short to make myself smile, playing with Eren’s hero complex and just cute baby eremin chemistry<3333Enjoy if you can^^~





	Hero

**Author's Note:**

> Forgot to mention that while I’ve been playing with this story in my head for a while, the snk coca cola commercial is what really inspired me to finally write it, because things like snk really do inspire you to be a hero anywhere you can, and even in the smallest of ways, you really do make a difference if you just try<3

_"EREEEEEEEEN!!!!! HEEEEELP!!!!!"_

Eren jumped into action immediately for that never-before-heard cry for help from little Armin Arlert. His best friend was so proud he never allowed Eren to just help him, much less cry for him to do so. And Eren was more than ready to heed his cry, more than ready to save his dearest companion, more than ready to be the hero he needed in whatever dark times he was facing. He bolted down the street to the alleyway near Armin's house, assuming that's where the trouble must be, with a ferocious growl in his teeth and a fierce look in his eyes. And there Armin was, hunched over something in a corner, already roughed up with spittle smeared amidst the blood on his scrappy little face. The desperate look in his big bright molasses colored eyes as they gazed into Eren's were as pained as his cry.

_"Eren! Help, please!"_

And those were the only magic words Eren needed. He charged into the fray and all the strength in his hot blooded body bubbled to the surface as he mercilessly thrashed Armin's harassers. With protecting Armin as his motivation, he wound up laying fair waste to the ruffian children of Shiganshina, or at least bored them to the point of exhaustion before they finally left, leaving Eren a bloody, bruised mess there with the hunching Armin. "They're all gone, Armin, it's okay now!" he proclaimed with a gentle voice and happy smile, which grew even grander when Armin forced himself back up to his feet just to run towards him.

Eren felt like he was glowing. He was a real hero today. He rescued the boy he adored by fighting tooth and nail for him, and was going to be rewarded with a grand embrace from him in return, like every knight receives from his lover in a fairy tale. He would hug him back, just as tight, and nuzzle his hair, and wondered if it'd be inappropriate to kiss his cheek. But Armin immediately took a completely different course than Eren was expecting.

 _"Come here, quickly, please!"_ he begged, tugging Eren's hands to come follow him back to the corner he was crouched in.

Eren followed his lead, a little sad he wasn't getting quite the hero's welcome he was hoping for after all, and looked down to see that Armin had been previously hunched over a mucky crate...

Armin sat down on his knees and explained, "This is what I was trying to protect..." as he lifted the crate to reveal his concern.

Eren's own cat-like eyes widened at the pair of baby blue eyes staring at him from the face of a meek little kitten trembling by Armin's knee. "A kitten..."

"Yeah. Those jerks were chasing him into this alley and throwing pebbles at him..." Armin grumbled, then used his softest and kindest voice to calm him down along with an open hand at rest beside him. "It's okay... They're all gone. The trouble is all over. You're safe now." Fortunately, the kitten seemed to accept Armin's word and after a moment of studying him, crawled into his hand. Armin scooped him into his arm as gently as he could and stood up again to show Eren up close.

"Wow, he really trusts you already." Eren noted, somewhat envious deep down of Armin's ability to receive an animal's affection so easily, like this kitten burying his face into his shirt. "You're really good with animals, Armin."

"Aw, you could be too! Here..." Armin's free hand took Eren's anxious wrist and lead his hand towards the furry baby in his arm. "Just relax and be completely calm and gentle. Let him know you mean no harm."

Eren tried to obey and sighed to relax himself, just hoping to prove Armin right. But once his skin met the soft and plush fur of the kitten, his anxiousness dissipated completely. More so as he began petting it affectionately.

"See? It's okay. This is Eren, he rescued us today. He's very very good, and has the gentlest hands."

Eren blushed and glanced away shyly with a furrowed brow and a pursed smile. He preferred the image of a rough and tumble man for himself, but when Armin Arlert was around, it was true: he couldn't help going soft. And feeling proud of it when he won Armin's ultimate trust and affection...

"Aw, he's purring! See, I told you. Just an honest tender touch is all you need."

"Hm." While Armin kept his eyes on the kitten in his arms, Eren turned his gaze to Armin's face, smiling unconsciously for his beauty which shone inside and out.

"He's very friendly. Do you suppose he belongs to anybody?" Armin asked, meeting Eren's gaze again.

"I think I have an idea where he came from." he said with a grin, nodding for Armin to follow him.

The pair came to a stop at the top of the stairs near Eren's house, where his mother would hang the laundry to dry on Sundays. Eren laid his scarf over the kitten for this trip, to ensure no one threatening would see him before they could reach their destination and happily removed it to let the kitten look around. The kitten chirped excitedly to see his home again and Eren pushed aside an inconspicuous laundry basket to reveal a hole in the wall where a mewling mother cat had been staying. Too excited to see his mother and family again to wait, the kitten leapt from Armin's arms and ran into his secret home, greeted with cat kisses and purrs. The mother cat looked at Eren with relaxed, squinty eyes in gratitude, which Eren mimicked before replacing the basket to keep them hidden.

"Don't worry. I'll keep them safe and look out for them. No assholes are gonna get to them when Eren Yeager's around." he promised with a grin.

Armin blushed as his heart melted and a warm, gracious smile crept over his lips. He was so moved, and so grateful. "My hero..." He then walked right into Eren's space to hug him tight, burying his face in his chest, and loving him with all his heart.

Eren blushed in return. This was different than what he was expecting in terms of being a hero. But this hug was so much tighter and snuglier than he'd imagined, and the love radiating from Armin's heart into his was more... awe striking. It felt deeper, honest, and passionate. It was a different kind of glory. A _special_ kind of glory... Realizing his arms were still just dangling at his sides, he finally wrapped them around Armin's shoulders, treasuring every bit of this moment in his heart. To be Armin Arlert's hero... Nothing felt more glorious than that.


End file.
